Socialization in Literature & Literary Theory

Socialization: Etymology/Term, Meanings and Concept

Etymology/Term: The term “socialization” stems from the Latin word ‘socialis’, meaning “companionable” or “fit for living in society.” Socialization describes the lifelong process by which individuals learn the norms, values, beliefs, skills, and behaviors considered appropriate for their culture and society.

Meanings and Concepts:

• Internalization of Culture: Socialization involves absorbing and internalizing the shared knowledge and patterns of a society, shaping our sense of self, attitudes, and behavior.
• Agents of Socialization: The process occurs through interactions with various agents of socialization, including families, schools, peers, media, workplaces, and institutions.
• Identity Formation: Socialization plays a crucial role in shaping our individual identities as we learn about our place within a social group, community, and the world.
• Social Control and Continuity: By transmitting cultural norms and expectations, socialization ensures social stability and the continuation of a society’s traditions.
• Adaptability: Socialization allows individuals to adjust to new roles and adapt to social changes throughout their lives.

Socialization: Definition of a Theoretical Term

Socialization refers to the lifelong process through which individuals learn and internalize the norms, values, beliefs, and behaviors of their culture or society. It occurs primarily through interaction with family, peers, educational institutions, media, and other social institutions. Ultimately, socialization shapes individuals’ identities, social roles, and integration into society.

Socialization: Theorists, Works, and Arguments

Key Theorists

• Charles Horton Cooley:
  • Work: Human Nature and the Social Order, “The Looking-Glass Self”
  • Argument: Our self-concept develops through social interaction; we imagine how we appear to others, interpret their reactions, and internalize those perceptions into our identity (the “looking-glass self”).
• George Herbert Mead:
  • Work: *Mind, Self, and Society *
  • Argument: Emphasized that the self develops through role-taking and social interaction. He distinguished “I” (the spontaneous, impulsive self) and “Me” (socialized self). We learn to take on others’ perspectives and internalize the “generalized other” (society’s expectations).
• Sigmund Freud
  • Work: Introductory Lectures on Psychoanalysis, Civilization and its Discontents
  • Argument: Personality develops through socialization that represses unconscious drives (id). The ego emerges to balance the id and the superego (internalized social norms), ensuring appropriate social behavior.
• Jean Piaget:
  • Work: The Language and Thought of the Child, The Moral Judgment of the Child
  • Argument: Cognitive development unfolds in stages (sensorimotor, preoperational, etc.), each building upon the previous one. Social interaction is important for moving beyond egocentrism and developing abstract reasoning.
• Erik Erikson:
  • Work: Childhood and Society
  • Argument: Psychosocial development proceeds in eight stages throughout the lifespan (e.g., basic trust vs. mistrust in infancy). Successfully navigating each stage’s crisis leads to healthy personality development.

Important Concepts & Debates

• Nature vs. Nurture: To what extent is socialization responsible for personality vs. inherited biological traits? This remains a topic of debate.
• Primary vs. Secondary Socialization: Primary socializing occurs in early childhood, while secondary socialization continues through life as we encounter new social settings.
• Social Reproduction: Theories like those by Pierre Bourdieu examine how socialization can perpetuate social inequalities by transmitting cultural capital and class-based advantages.

Socialization: Major Characteristics

1. Transmission of Cultural Norms and Values: Illustrated in George Orwell’s “1984,” where the oppressive regime manipulates socialization to maintain control.
2. Influence of Various Agents: Depicted in J.D. Salinger’s “The Catcher in the Rye,” where the protagonist’s socialization is influenced by encounters with different societal elements.
3. Ongoing and Dynamic Nature: Highlighted in Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World,” where social norms are engineered and adapted to serve the interests of the ruling class.

Socialization: Relevance in Literary Theories

Literary Theory	Relevance of Socialization
Psychoanalytic Theory	Characters’ personalities and behaviors can be analyzed in terms of their unconscious desires, shaped by their early socializing experiences. Childhood conflicts and family dynamics can drive complex psychological motivations within narratives.
Sociological Theories (Marxist, Feminist, etc.)	Literature can be read as a reflection of social structures and power dynamics. Socializing here plays a role in shaping characters’ identities, values, and their struggles within specific social contexts.
Formalism and New Criticism	While less directly focused on socialization, these theories might analyze how literary works reflect, critique, or challenge prevailing social norms and expectations.
Reader-Response Theory	A reader’s background, social experiences, and internalized values will shape their interpretation of a text. Readers might identify with or reject characters based on their own socializing processes and how the text resonates with their understanding of the world.
Postcolonial Theory	Literature can explore the impact of colonialism and its legacy on socializing. Characters navigate conflicting norms, struggle between cultural identities, and confront the ways socialization processes can perpetuate power structures of oppression and resistance.

Note: Socialization is a complex process woven into many aspects of our lives. This table offers a starting point to explore the nuanced ways it influences both literary characters and the way we read and interpret texts.

Socialization: Application in Critiques

1. 1984 by George Orwell: In “1984,” socialization is critiqued through the manipulation of societal norms and values by the authoritarian regime. The Party uses techniques such as surveillance, propaganda, and rewriting history to control the thoughts and behaviors of its citizens, illustrating the dangers of unchecked power and indoctrination.
2. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley: In “Brave New World,” socialization is portrayed as a tool of oppression and control by the World State. Citizens are conditioned from birth to accept their predetermined roles in society, emphasizing conformity over individuality. Huxley’s critique warns against the dehumanizing effects of a society that prioritizes stability and uniformity at the expense of human freedom and autonomy.
3. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger: Salinger’s novel critiques socialization by exploring the alienation and disillusionment of the protagonist, Holden Caulfield, with the adult world. Holden rejects the superficiality and phoniness of societal norms and struggles to find authenticity and connection in a world he perceives as artificial and insincere. The novel raises questions about the authenticity of social norms and the impact of socialization on individual identity.
4. Lord of the Flies by William Golding: In “Lord of the Flies,” socialization is critiqued through the breakdown of societal order and the descent into savagery among a group of boys stranded on a deserted island. The novel explores the inherent human capacity for violence and the fragility of civilization when social norms and structures are removed. Golding’s critique underscores the importance of socialization in maintaining order and preventing chaos.

Socialization: Relevant Terms

Term	Definition
Norm	A rule or standard of behavior shared by members of a social group.
Value	A belief about what is considered important, desirable, or good within a culture or society.
Role	A set of expectations about how an individual should behave in a specific social position.
Status	A person’s position within a social hierarchy, often determined by wealth, occupation, or social prestige.
Social Identity	A person’s sense of self derived from their membership in social groups.
Cultural Capital	Non-economic advantages that promote social mobility, such as education, knowledge, tastes, and skills aligned with the dominant class.
Resocialization	The process of learning new norms, values, and behaviors when an individual transitions to a different stage in life or a new social environment.
Anticipatory Socialization	The process of learning and internalizing the expectations of a role or social group one aspires to join.
Gender Socialization	The process through which individuals learn gender roles and expectations specific to their culture.
Social Reproduction	The process by which social inequalities are perpetuated across generations through socialization.

Socialization: Suggested Readings

1. Berger, Peter L. Invitation to Sociology: A Humanistic Perspective. Anchor Books, 1963. https://www.amazon.com/) or access through a library]
2. Cooley, Charles Horton. Human Nature and the Social Order. Scribner’s, 1902. https://www.gutenberg.org/ or your library system]
3. Erikson, Erik H. Childhood and Society. 2nd ed., W.W. Norton & Company, 1963. [Available on online bookselling platforms or through your library]
4. Gecas, Viktor. “The Socialization and Social Structure Perspective.” Handbook of Socialization Theory and Research, edited by John E. Grusec and Paul D. Hastings, Guilford Press, 2007, pp. 33-59. https://scholar.google.com/) or through your library’s access to the Guilford Press]
5. Goffman, Erving. The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life. Anchor Books, 1959. [Available on online bookselling platforms or through your library]
6. Mead, George Herbert. Mind, Self, and Society. University of Chicago Press, 1934. https://www.gutenberg.org/) ]
7. Merton, Robert K. Social Theory and Social Structure. Free Press, 1968. [Available on online bookselling platforms or through your library]
8. Parsons, Talcott. The Social System. Free Press, 1951. [Check your library’s access to this classic text]
9. Piaget, Jean. The Language and Thought of the Child. Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1959. [Available on online bookselling platforms or through your library]
10. Wrong, Dennis. “The Oversocialized Conception of Man in Modern Sociology.” American Sociological Review, vol. 26, no. 2, 1961, pp. 183 – 193. JSTOR, https://www.jstor.org/. [Access likely requires a library subscription]